Suckers: Live At the Bowery Ballroom

A pesky bunch of Brooklynites, Suckers' psychedelic pop skirmishes offer listeners a wicked plunge into a melodious world that is untamed, extravagant, and unyielding. Referencing the band's intrepid debut Selden Paterson noted, "Suckers take a beautifully compiled bank of a few riffs and few vocal tricks, and throw them into every imaginable combination to construct an album that's an impressive balancing act. Juggling their instincts of slow and fast, upbeat and laidback, weird and normal-ish, sinister and animated, they've got all the elements and Wild Smile is the perfectly choreographed chaos worthy of listening to on repeat for sure." That kind of repeat behavior generally leads to the live arena, which is where you'll find the band in this concert release.Taking the stage of the Bowery Ballroom late last spring, Suckers present some of Wild Smile best moments to a hometown audience happy to have them back from their tour in support of Local Natives. Here, the band brew an indigenous blend of singing, shouting, stomping, and chanting, all while pairing eccentric audibles with the kind of inventive presentation elements that are just not possible when merely plugged into a pair of ear buds. Donning capes, profane spears of sharpie on their bodies, and quirky styles of play (the best coming from drummer Brian Aiken), Suckers smack a wild smile on the face of anyone who encounters them. Thanks to this concert release, that might mean your mug as well.